Words matter. These are the best Tommy Shaw Quotes, and they’re great for sharing with your friends.
I wish I had a nickel for every song that I’ve left in the bathroom, written down on a matchbox, or just totally forgotten about.
When it stops being fun, stop.
Songwriting is the other weight on the opposite side of the scale from touring. They balance me out creatively.
By the time I did that third solo album, I’d finally learned how to do it, but I’d also learned that I liked being in a band.
I like being on the road, living in hotels. While I’ve got a real nice house, I go crazy when I’m there.
I have always been a sucker for the big, upbeat chorus.
Once you start thinking about it in a mercenary frame of mind, then you’re finished. You’re a joke, because there are too many mercenaries out there already.
Les Pauls work out real well for me because I’ll beat the hell out of them and they’ll still work. The only trouble with them is finding good ones.
I’m not the kind of guy who deserves to play a vintage guitar because I’m too rough on instruments.
When a song gets its legs and begins to come to me, this is the euphoric hook that keeps me wanting to continue.
When I became 16 I started thinking seriously about singing.
On acoustic guitar I tend to stay in the key of D for some reason. On electric guitar I keep basic: C, G, D, and A. The key of D minor is also real good for me.
When you sign with a label, they do insist upon certain rights, and if you have a competent attorney, your rights will be protected.
Make sure you know what you are signing when you sign a recording contract.
There were some older guitarists on my side of town, and I got to know many of them.
I don’t write on tour. There is so much to do day in and day out when you are on the road.
I’ve always stuck with Gibsons. I’ve had Guilds and Fenders, too, but I always wind up going back to Gibsons.
I soon gave up instruction for self-teaching.
I wrote songs all my life, where anyone wanted to hear them or not.
It is all about being open and paying attention to the music in your head. I think most people have original music playing in their heads from time to time.
